Evaporating pan



061.21', 1924. I van. vmagg*TEVENS ET vlm.

VAPORATINGV'PAN Filed Oct. 22. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wirtin Ott.- 211 1924: 1,512,505

A. D. STEVENS 'ET An'.

EHIIAPORATING PAN 4 Filed oct. 22. 1920 2 sheets-shut 2 lll @illness Patented @et 21, 1924.

UNITED STTES PATENTE F F1 Q E ARTHUR D. STEVENS AND NAULBERT A. GILBERT, F JACKSONVILLE.

FLORIDA.

EVAPORATING PAN.

Application filed @ctobcr 22, 1920. Serial No. 418,717.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Re it known that we. ARTHUR D. Srnvnns and NAULBERT A. GILBERT, citizens of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Evaporating 13ans,v of which the followine` is specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful self-skimming` evaporating pan for use in the manufacture of cane syrup from cane iuice. and the primary object of the same is to provide means by which the scum produced during heatingv of the juice is buoyed up by the surface tension of the bubbles of the boiling liquid and constantly carried toward a receiving means or scum trough without again descending into the body of the liquid and whereby all separated from the Juice.

impurities are The degree of concentration inthe improved evaporator pan depends upon the temperature necessary to separate the impurities from the liuice and to permit the juice to go to its final evaporating stage free of scum formation. ln the present improved evaporating pan a series of compartments with. independent heating` coils are provided., and said compartments, connected by passages from one compartment to the other7 so arranged as not to cause liquid circulation in the compartments.y but merely to allow the lioguid or juice to pass from one compartment to the other as the treatment progresses, and also to dispose heatingr or steam coils in the several compartments in such manner as to cause the surface bubbles of the liquid when boiling in the requisite manner to move slowlyT in the direction of a scum receiver or trough. The improved evaporating pan also contemplates theuse of adiustable skimmingr lips by means of which, together with a particular steam coil arrangement the surface bubbles of the liquid/and the scumV carried thereon are caused to flow over into the scum trough at the desired rate. The concentration and consequent temperature in each compartment is controlled by the operator, and all impurities which reduire a higher temperature to separate them from the liuice than is present in the clarifying tank, or about 212 F.$ are brought to the surface and carried with the bubbles to the scum trough without beingboiled into the liquid.

The scum 'rises and is recovered and caused to flow into the scum trough progressively through the successive compartments in varying quantities until the last compartment is reached and which latter compartment serves as a test by showing no scum. s

The invention also consists in the construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a skimming trough embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.

Fing. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line le-4, Fig. 2. y

Fia'. 5 is a transversesection taken on the line 5-.5..Fig. 2.

Fig'. 6 is a detail view on an enlarged scale showing a portion of one of the skimming lips.

The improved pan mav be of any suitable `eneral dimensions with any number of compartments and series of heatingl coils therein that may be found necessary in carrying; out desired operations upon cane syrup or any other liquid with which the improved pan mav practicallyA operate.

The numeral 5 designates a pan having at one side thereof a scum trough G extending` fully from one end to a transverse continuation 7 of the said trough at the opposite end of the pan. The continuation 7 of the trou gh 6 is divided by a transverse partition 8 extending' from an inner longitudinal wall 9 which is essentially at one side of the main body of the pan or the inner wall of the scum trough, the wall 9 being parallel with the opposite side or wall 10 of the pan.f Between the walls 9 and 10 the pan is divided by transverse partitions 11, 12, 13 and 14 to respectively form a receiving` compart ment 15 between the walls 8 and 11 and a series of liuice treating` compartments 16. 17. 18 and 19. the last compartment 19v in the arrangement of the pan shown in the drawings, beinggprovidedwith a discharge outlet 2O connected to the bottom thereof. The bottom 21 of the trough 6 is at an elevation above the bottom 22 of the main pan, the trough bottom 21 inclin'inq from' the discharge end of the pan from a poi-nt ad# heating means has a steam supply jacent vto the compartment 19 downwardly towards the opposite or receiving end of the pan, and between the scum trough and the receiving. or feed compartment a connecting pipe 23 is provided by means of which the scum from the trough may pass into the said receiving or feed compartment. rlhe continuation '7 of the scum trough also has a draining pipe 24 connected thereto by which the scum flowing' into the continuation `7 from the trough 6 may be carried ofil fronrthe pan. Each of the partitions 11. 12, 13 andlst is for ied with an opening therethrough near the bottom of the pan and adjacent tothe side wall 10. The bottom of each compartment 16, 17, 18 and 19 has a depending drain pipe connection 2G. all of the said latter pipe connections in turn communicating with a common outlet pipe 27, and by means of the pipes 26 and 2T, which have suitable valves, the pan may be washed out by introducing wash-water in the receiving or feed compartment 15 and permitting said water to flow through the several compartments, the valves in the pipes 26 being regulated to insure the flow of the water through the compartments and practically Hush out the pipes to cleanse the latter. In practice the pan as a whole will be so mounted as to have a slight drain inclination towards the discharge end thereof or theV discharge pipe 20, but such inclination Will not in the least modify the reverse inclination of the bottom 21 of the scum The openings 25 in the partitions 11, 12, 13 and 111 serve as limher holes and insure a practical flow of the juice or liquid treated from one comj artment to the other. l

Each compartment 16. 17 18 and 19 has a heating means therein consisting preferably of a plurality of steam coils 28, the coils heing in close relation adjacent to the side wall 10 and increasing in the spaces between them gradually in a transverse direction towards the scum trough 6, so that the coils at jacent to the wall 9 have a greater degree of sepa-` ration and less concentrated heating effect.

VThe closely' arranged coils 28 are disposed near the limber holes or openings 25 so as to immediately act upon the juice flowing from one compartment into the other and from the receiving or feedi. g compartment 15 into the first compartment 16. Each 29 connected to the coil nearest the side wall 10 and running to a -common source of steam supply, and attached to the final coil of cach heating means is an outlet pipe 30, each of these outlet'pipes being connected through its own steam trap to a common return pipe 31' that may run back to a boiler or other source of steam supply. By means of these supply and outlet connections it will be seen that a regular circulation of steam is set up in the heating moans or the coils in each compartment, and the degree of heat neces sary for treating cane juice or other liquid in the severa-l conipartmelus may he readu ily controlled by regulating the quantity ol' steam admitted to the coils. Owing to the closeness of the coils adjacent to the side w ll l() the most intense heating cll'ect of the coils will be adjacent to the inlet ol the juice or liquid into the compartments and gradually decrease towards the scum trough.

The improved eraporating pan also provided with skimming lips 32 and i rcspectively applied to the wall 9 between the compartments and the senin trough l and also on the partitions 11, 12, 13 and 14. These skimming lips are shown in detail by Fig. 6 on an enlarged scale and consist of bent spring sheet metal strips 81 which are open at their lower edges so as to he readil \v applied over or withdrawn from the wall f) and the partitions 11, 12, and 14. The skimming lips have a frictional engagement with the wall E) and the partitions 11. 12. '13 and 14 and may be adjusted to any vertical extent as found necessary during the operation of the pan on the juice or liquid supplied thereto.

The operation of the evaporating pan is very simple and consists in supplying the receiving or feeding conlparlmcnt 15 with het cold juice in a continuous streani, or by means which will produce a cominufuis flow., the juice as treated in the several compartments and finally reaching the compartment 19 iu a purified state being discharged through the outlet pipe 20 and taken hy thc latter to any point distant from the pan 'for further treatment. Then the juice or liquid has covered the coils in each compartment the steam is turned on. The particular position of the liinher holes and the arrangement of the sleam coils 9 hereinbc fore specitird. or with the coils in close rclation adjacent to the s'de wall 10andi1nreusing in spaced rel: :ion towards the scum trough., cause the How of thc mass of luibhles produced by the heat from the coils to he in a constant diagonal direction across the pan towards the scum trough and inlet end or comjiartment 15. It will bc understood that the huhl'ilcs just referred to will he produced h v the boiling action of the juice or liquid in the compartments under the heuting inlluence of the coils. By means of the adjustable skimming lips and independent steam coils in each comjnirtmcnt the height of the boiling mass may he adjusted so that there is a constant flow over the skimming lips 33 on the wall 9 and 32 on the partition or divisional walls 11, 12, 13 and 14, und as a consequence there is a. constant flow over the sknuming l'ps 33 into the scum trough 6 and also over the skinnning lips on the partitions 14, 13, 12 and 11 toward lll) and into the inlet compartment l5. By this means the scum Y.tormed and rising on tliil'erent parts ot the surface of the boiling liquid supported by the surface tension et' the bubbles and carried into the scum t rou'rh or the inlet compartment l5 without mixing iurther with the boiling liquid. The juice tlowing into the scum trough G with the scum caused to flow back through the pipe connection 23 into the compartnent and be thereby again conducted through the several compartments of the evaporator pan. All of the scum remains on the sui-tace oi the inlet compartment- 15 or in 'the scum trough 6 and will be carried ott' eventually through the scum discharge outlet 2a. The concentrated syrup is drawn oit through the discharge outlet or pipe 2O connected to the last compartment 19, and this pipe is prov'ded with a valve 35 whereby the said discharge pipe may be opened, either tully or partially, and regulate the "Tee oit concentration.

it obvious that the general proportions and dimensions ot the improved evaporator pan may be modi'lied, and, as hereinbetore indicated, the number ot compartments may be increased or decreased as found necessary, and the sizes oit the steam heating coils enarged or diminished in accordance with the variations of the remaining proportions. The improved evaporator pan is comparatively s'mple in its construction and operation and will be *found eiiicient in relieving cane juice or other liquids of impurities that may be separated and eliminated by the action ot heat.

lflilhat is claimed is:

l. ln an evaporating pan of the class specified., the combination o'l a pan having a plurality et compartments connected together tor the tiow oli the juice trom one compartment to another, adjustable skimming lips between adjacent evaporating compartments and movably mounted upon the walls thereof, a scum trough common to said evaporating compartments, an adjustable skimming lip between the individual compartments and said scum trough, and an individually controllable heating unit for each evaporating compartment.

2. In an evaporating pan oit' the class specified, the combination with a scum trough, of a plurality ot evaporating compartments connected together :tor the tlow of the juice from one compartment to another and having side walls extended laterally with relation to said scum trough and provided with adjustable skimming lips movably mounted thereon, and individual heating units for said evaporating compartments.

3. ln an evaporating pan o'lA the class specified, the combination with a scum trough, ot a plurality of evaporating compartments connected together 'tor the tlow ot the juice from one compartment to another and having side walls extending laterally with relation to said scum trough, adjustable skimming lips between said compartments and said scum trough, and individually controllable heating units .tor said evaporating compartments.

41. ln an evaporating pan of the class specified, the combination with a scum trough, of a plurality ot evaporating compartments connected together tor the flow oi' the juice `from one compartment to another and having side walls extended laterally with relation to said scum trough, adjustable skimming lips between said evaporat-ing compartments movably mounted upon said side walls, adjustable skimming lips between said compartments and said scum trough, and means for heating said evaporating compartments.

5. ln an evaporating pan of the class specilied, the combination ot a pan proper having a scum trough extending along one side thereot and continuing across one end of the pan, the part ot the scum trough across one end having discharge outlet, a plurality ot partitions extending trans verscly across the pan from the scum trough to the opposite pan side to 'torni a plurality oi compartments, the partitions being provided with openings to set up communication between the compartments, and heat-ing coils mounted in some ot the compartments and having closer arrangement adjacent to one side ol the compartment near the openings through the partitions than the opposite or scum trough side, the heating coils being provided with inlet and outlet means 'for the heating medium.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribino, witnesses.

ARTHUR l). STEVENS. NALBERT A. GILBERT.

Vllitnesses Bonnin E, BOONE, W. F. BLAGKMAN. 

